Julie Andrews' Delightful Interpretation on Austen's Work: Top Broadcasts of the Week
This Week's Choice
Pride & Prejudice
Who could be more perfect to retell Austen's most beloved novel as opposed to her royal highness Julie Andrews? Although missing Colin Firth drenched, the screen legend is a wonderful and accurate narrator of the original romantic comedy featuring Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy. This production, split across multiple segments, not simply marks the 250-year mark of Austen’s birth – it coincides with Andrews’s 90th birthday as well!
Available broadly, weekly releases
Grand Designs Deconstructed
So great is the pressure when creating your own mega-home, Grand Designs is one of the few property series in which separation occurs regularly rather than a bug. Kevin McCloud collaborates with the presenter on this amiable offshoot for superfans – and reveals that he was near to opening up his own chequebook for cash-strapped homeowners.
Available via Spotify, weekly episodes
Woman’s Hour Guide to Life
On Sundays, Woman’s Hour host hosts a dedicated installment covering a specific issue through well-known speakers and professionals. She kicks off with friendship – how to make space for them and keep in touch – by speaking with writer Alderton, journalist Cohen, Dr Julia Samuel and Dr Marisa G Franco. The tone is chatty, useful and crucially, comforting.
On BBC Sounds, episodes weekly
Music, Money & Mayhem
Including Pink Floyd and Blur, EMI was home to a flood of prominent British bands. This audio series presented by Chris Atkins is bound to appeal to both music nerds and industry professionals, as it skillfully traces the label’s collapse through discussions including Tennant and debated past leader Guy Hands.
Accessible on many platforms, new episodes each week
Coining It
Presented by Lewis Goodall, this new series seems like it might be another run-of-the-mill digital currency tale. Happily, this account of a man who found a cryptocurrency error offering endless money and catapulted the person from the seaside town to Dubai proves to be a vibrant and highly entertaining caper – though undoubtedly a warning tale.
Widely available, weekly releases
